Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 18th to 29th November

Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program.

Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community.

This theme has been run alongside Malin (@playpausephoto) the queen of minimal VP. Malin is an established virtual photographer within the community, and her beautiful VP often catches the eye. She is also well known for her love of Red Dead Redemption 2 and is a member of the VPRT team. You can also find Malin hosting the @VPMinimalism account with weekly spotlights on community members. Malin’s arrival in the Assassin’s Creed VP space has brought new and refreshing ideas which is a joy to see.

Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured.

Theme: Assassin’s Creed Minimal

Free Running

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @WonDerNooB_VP & @wondernoob.bsky.social

The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week

Judge: Malin

Malin

WonDerNoob went all in on the minimalism theme and presented so many fantastic photos. However, it was love at first sight with this one. The column is perfectly centered at the bottom of the image. Kassandra, positioned to the left, caught in her acrobatic act, invites the negative space from the right so beautifully. The soft blurred background blends perfectly with the sky and leaves all attention to the subject. The composition, together with the monochrome tones, creates a stunning minimalist photo worthy as capture of the theme.

Aaron

I cannot claim to be an expert at minimal photography, but Malin has taught me a thing or two over the years. I find it quite fascinating how well Assassin’s Creed virtual photography fits with the minimalistic approach. WonDerNoob has produced many fantastic photos since joining our community, but I agree with Malin that this particular shot is special. I love the negative space and how this capture could so easily be used as a phone wallpaper. The forward role in a hood atop a Greek column could not really be anymore Assassins Creed. This shot just takes me back to all those breath-taking CGI trailers of Assassin’s scrambling around on rooftops.

Alignment

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @SpideyTwoShoes & @edneyone.bsky.social

Animal photography in Assassin’s Creed is extremely common but this shot is taking it to a whole new level. The way Ubisoft populates the worlds with nature really enriches the experience. This capture has a cheeky tone that is a reminder to us that VP should be fun. I adore that the bird is so wonderfully placed between the horns. The dark silhouette against the white background creates a playful and striking minimalist photo. The goat is clearly the Templar watching on as the Assassin prepares to strike.

Jump In

Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

VP Artist: @cyriellevp.bsky.social

Being able to dive into the water is taken for granted now but I still remember the days when characters could not swim. I think the addition of the sea to Assassin’s Creed furthers the expansion of the RPG formula. A minimalistic photo can create a sense of scale to the viewer. Here, we can clearly see how small Alexios is compared to the vast ocean he so bravely dives into. I find the blue tones add to the range with the waves ebbing and flowing in front of him. It just shows that for all his power and strength Alexios is but a small part of this beautiful Greek world.

Leap of Faith

Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins

VP Artist: @dlazdagaming & @dlazda.bsky.social

The leap of faith is so iconic to the series that it would have been a shame not to feature it here, especially as it lends itself perfectly to minimalism. The most sacred of rites to an Assassin, but not one of violence but of centring one’s mind. I feel minimalism is very much the definition of this. There is so much calm to be found in photography like this. What makes this photo stand out is the colours, the clean contrast and the generous amount of negative space. Bayek is always in need of meditation as the fight for vengeance takes its toll on him. I would like to think he is at peace in this moment.  

Bonds

Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

VP Artist: @AggzGaming

Basim and Enkidu have such a bond in the beginning, and you sense it as the story develops. They are two silent predators, hunting for the kill. Here the beautiful composition emphasizes the strong bond between the two subjects, even when there is distance between them. Aggz did not hold back on the negative space, which I love about this photo. I find it fascinating how this shot works for their relationship both at the opening and the end. Basim’s mind is one of great complexity and I could definitely see him needing the healing power of minimalism to find his way back to the light.

And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list!

Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in!